


Lullaby

by starprise_entership



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Kidfic, M/M, Post-Canon Cardassia, i didn’t really proofread this one i’m sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:18:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13765947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starprise_entership/pseuds/starprise_entership
Summary: “I do certainly not need a lullaby–“ begins Garak.“Humour me, Elim.”





	Lullaby

“What took you so long?” Garak rises from the couch, evidently concerned. “You let me believe you were dead!”

Julian approaches him with hurried, large strides. Stopping short in his tracks once he reaches Garak, he cups Garak’s face in his left hand and presses a kiss to his lips, desperately.

“Minor skimmer accident,” Julian explains, his hand moving up to touch the shallow cut on his head. “It was only two blocks from here.”

“I could hear it from here,” Garak brings up. “It was quite a startling sound to hear at this time of night. And you didn’t even stop to check if you were alright! You could have suffered a terrible concussion on the way home, my dear!”

Julian runs his thumb soothingly over the ridge at Garak’s cheek. “It’s not like you to show your concern in such an explicit and unobscured manner. What’s gotten into you tonight, hm?”

“The news about the hospital collapse during the earthquake. The one you were stationed in. I tried to contact you a number of times after the incident this afternoon but you weren’t replying.” Garak remembers. “I was about to expect the authorities to arrive at my doorstep to announce your untimely demise.”

“Tsk.” Julian gives an assuring smile. “There’s no need to give up hope so quickly.”

“Life does always tell me to fear the worst.” rebukes Garak. “And you know, my dear, unexpected things do happen around here.”

“Would one of those unexpected things be me, turning up at your doorstep safe and sound?” Julian replies. “Or mostly safe, you could say.”

Garak shakes his head softly, and remains silent. He avoids Julian’s gaze, preferring to keep his gaze trained on his own two feet.

“Have you been alright today?” Julian asks, putting a hand on Garak’s shoulder. He gives it a consoling squeeze through the thin fabric of Garak’s nightshirt.

When Garak remains silent, Julian probes further. “Garak?”

Garak blinks once, hard, and glances at Julian. “I had an attack today. But I assure you, everything is perfectly fine right now as it is.”

“If you say so.” Julian assures, hiding his concern.

Soft padding of footsteps make their way down the stairs and into the living room. Julian looks over the back of the sofa. “Oh, hello, Arys.” He gets up and picks her up in his arms. “What are you doing up so late after your bedtime?”

“Garak wasn’t looking too fine. And there was a loud noise from just around the corner. He told me not to look out the window.” Arys answers, her expression glum. “I was worried.”

“Well, I’m here right now so there’s no need to worry any further.” Julian consoles, giving Arys a peck on the cheek. “Let’s bring you upstairs.”

While Julian and Arys retreat upstairs, Garak digs around in the medical satchel for the dermal regenerator, only to find that it’s gone missing from its usual compartment and is nowhere to be found in the satchel. He then heads for the kitchen where he finds the spare regenerator in the cabinet under the sink. Blowing off the dust that’s settled on the device, he feels the weight of the device in his hands. Contemplating for a brief moment, he trudges upstairs to get ready for bed.

Garak hears the soft sound of singing as he passes by Arys’s room. He peers in, finding Julian sitting at the edge of the bed as he sings to their daughter. An old earth melody. Julian’s singing voice hasn’t been the most melodious, but seeing him do his best to comfort Arys makes a subtle smile spread across Garak’s face. Arys, being ten years old, is a little old for lullabies, but she didn’t have the chance to have a proper childhood and it’s best that she can enjoy her remaining years of childhood when she can unlike –

Garak remembers he was just slightly older than Arys was now when he was sent away to Barammen. He’s glad that she’ll never have to go through that, now with the education system reforms and all, but he can’t help but feel a bit sad when he remembers the youth he could’ve had.

He shakes himself out of his thoughts when the bowl he’s holding overflows with water from the tap. Chiding himself for being so distracted, he pours out some water until the bowl is half full, and grabs the clean rag on the sink counter.

“There’s really no need to do it the old-fashioned way, love.” Garak doesn’t hear Julian until he approaches from the back and buries his own face into the side of Garak’s neck. “I’ve got a sterilizer downstairs,” remarks Julian.

“I’ll save you the trouble of heading downstairs again.” He gives his shoulders a small shrug, and Julian lets go, and proceeds to perch himself on the edge of the counter. Garak moves in with gentle, caressing strokes, trying to hide the fact that his hands are shaking ever so slightly. When the rag skims across the wound, Julian gives a small yelp. Garak stops, and brings down the rag for a second.

“I’m not hurting you, am I? If I am, I do apologise.”

“Well, the only thing I’m feeling now is fatigue, and it would be so, so great if we could just get this done and over with and head off to bed.” Julian gives a yawn. “Now for the regenerator.” He reaches out for Garak’s hands. “I’ll guide you.”

His hands are gentle yet firm on Garak’s, and the job is done in no time. The skin heals perfectly, leaving no trace of the scrape behind.

“That wasn’t absolutely terrible, wasn’t it?” Julian leans forward to kiss Garak again, a bit softer this time. “Let’s go.”

Garak lets Julian strip down to his undershirt and shorts before he too climbs into bed. He’s almost about to settle in when he feels Julian’s warm arm draped across his back.

“Would you like me to sing for you?” Julian murmurs, sleepily.

“Now, what could have brought that up?” Garak questions.

Julian pauses, and gives a tired laugh. “You were watching me. As I was singing to Arys.”

“I do certainly not need a lullaby-“ begins Garak.

“Humour me, Elim.” And so he starts off, a few murmured, garbled lines, before his voice goes into a soft murmur and he’s asleep. Out like a light.


End file.
